The present invention relates to a bracket and more particularly to a bracket for mounting a radio or the like in a vehicle.
A conventional radio has been a common accessory item in vehicles of all types for many years. Manufacturers have given recognition to the large demand for radios of this type by providing suitable openings in the dashboards of vehicles designed for permanent installation. The dashboard openings have not been uniform in size, however, making it impossible to design a single radio adapted for use in all vehicles. Radios capable of permanent installation in the openings in the dashboards of particular vehicles, therefore, have included only those provided by the manufacturer and those provided by independent sources making a multitude of sizes. As a result, other independent sources have had to search for alternative ways of mounting a conventional radio in a vehicle.
The development of compact stereo tape players has also made it a rather common accessory item for use in vehicles of all types in the past few years. The large demand for stereo tape players has now been responded to by some manufacturers with openings in the dashboards of vehicles designed for permanent installation. The only stereo tape players suitable for use in the dashboards of particular vehicles, however, have again been those provided by the manufacturer and those provided by independent sources making a multitude of sizes since the openings have not been uniform in size. Accordingly, other independent sources have similarly had to search for alternative ways of mounting a stereo tape player in a vehicle.
An even more recent phenomenon has been the incredible sales of Citizen's Band radios as an accessory item for use in vehicles of all types. Manufacturers have not provided suitable openings in the dashboards of vehicles designed for permanent installation in recognition of the large demand for C.B. radios and such radios have only been available from independent sources. As a result, all independent sources have likewise had to search for alternative ways of mounting Citizens' Band radios in a vehicle.
A problem accompanying the large sales of Citizens' Band radios has been an equally large theft rate. The problem has become so severe that the search for ways of mounting C.B. radios in a vehicle has been equally directed to ways of reducing or preventing theft. The lack of a means for permanently installing C.B. radios in dashboard openings of a vehicle, however, has frustrated the search since less permanent installations have easily been circumvented. Accordingly, the problems associated with mounting Citizens' Band radios as well as stereo tape players and conventional radios of independent sources in vehicles has been a vexing one which has, to date, not been satisfactorily resolved.
The most common mounting for Citizens' Band radios, stereo tape players, and conventional radios of independent sources has been on brackets provided by each source such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,822,049 and 3,087,118. The brackets have not proven to be fully satisfactory, however, for a number of reasons. First, the brackets are generally not adjustable to accommodate radios and the like of varying size. Second, the brackets have generally not included power and antenna cable connectors adapted to automatically engage corresponding connectors on a radio. Third, the brackets have generally not provided swivel movement for operation of the radio or the like from different positions. The brackets most commonly used for mounting a radio or the like in a vehicle have, therefore, not effectively provided the desired degree of versatility for use with any Citizens' Band radio, stereo tape player, or conventional radio under a wide variety of conditions. As a result, the brackets of the past have all failed to accomplish the important advantages to be derived from the present invention.